The American Legion national website now offers a handy state-by-state directory of veterans benefits, some of which are little-known. From healthcare services to housing, education, employment and more, the new guide details state and federal benefits for those who have served the nation in uniform and their families. In some states, different benefits are available for veterans with service-connected disabilities.

A proposal to boost the role of Advance Practice Registered Nurses (APRN) in the Veterans Health Administration in 29 states has resulted in record-setting public input on the topic. The proposal would give APRNs who work for the department’s Healthcare Division the ability manage a patient’s care without the supervision of a physician. The proposal is the latest effort to increase the number of healthcare professionals able to take on patients, but is not without controversy.

Military Officer Association of America (MOAA) President, Vice Adm. Norb Ryan, USN (Ret.), testified before the House Armed Services Personnel Subcommittee on what’s working versus not working in military healthcare delivery, and what should be done about it. MOAA was invited to testify and provide its perspective on recent TRICARE and military health reform proposals.

A new poll from Concerned Veterans for America shows strong support for health care options outside of Veterans Affairs Department facilities, despite a new announcement from VA officials about plans to cut back on those programs.

Eligibility for VA health care is dependent upon a number of factors. These factors influence determination of the services for which you may qualify. They include, among other variables, the nature of a veteran’s discharge from military service (e.g., honorable, other than honorable, dishonorable), length of service, service-connected disabilities, income level, and available VA resources.

The Veterans Affairs Department said Wednesday that it will boost the maximum salaries for incoming physicians and dentists as part of VA Secretary Robert McDonald’s push to hire an estimated 28,000 health-care providers to handle the backlog of veterans who need care.

A onetime Army Ranger and former CEO of a Fortune 500 consumer products company, Robert McDonald, may face his toughest challenge yet in fixing the huge Veterans Affairs Department. Veterans groups worry that the longtime corporate executive, nominated by President Barack Obama to lead the VA, may have trouble adjusting to a far-flung bureaucracy of more than 300,000 employees, where hundreds of hospital directors and other career executives wield great power far from the agency’s Washington headquarters.

Military families and retirees may soon have only one health care plan option and higher out-of-pocket fees under a controversial new Defense Department budget proposal that would combine Tricare Prime, Extra and Standard into one program.

“As we went through the various reviews last year, one of the things that became very obvious was the need to go back through the military pay and compensation package,” said Lt. Gen. Mark Ramsay, resources and assessments joint staff director. “We have taken a very …